Ch 6 

Camillia and Trinity wandered between the playgrounds on their way back to the ballfields. The Darkwood pack team was playing in an inter-pack baseball tournament. They had just won and were waiting on the next set of games. It was hot and the girls were giggling and trying to eat faster than their soft serve was melting. Four wolves surrounded them. Rolland Bose and his family had left the Darkwood, and were now living with his uncle's pack, Rockclaw.

"Well, if it isn't the little leech all grown up," he sneered at Trinity. To Camillia, he taunted, "Your brothers aren't here to protect you this time."

Cami step forward boldly to face him, "We don't need my brothers to protect us, we can protect ourselves."

Trini smiled as she licked her ice cream. Her ice blue eyes narrowed in contempt. One of the boys, stepped forward to knock it out of her hand but Trini was faster. She caught his arm and flipped him onto his back without losing her treat.

Cami laughed, snorting in contempt, "No wonder Rockclaw has to beg for Enforcers from the Guardians to protect them."

Trinity giggled, taunting, "And I didn't even use my vampire or wolf's strength. I might as well be a mundane." Two of the boys step back surprised, but Rolland glared at them hatefully.

"You shouldn't be here, freak," he hissed hatefully, "This tourney is for wolves, not leeches."

"Trini is a wolf," Cami snarled in Trin's defense.

"Ha! Prove it!" Rolland challenged. All but one of the boys laughed.

Trini growled and he looked surprised, "Fine, I'll show you mine if you show me yours." The boys stared at her shocked. The park was full of humans.

"Whatever," Rolland responded haughtily, "Like you have a wolf, leech."

"Oh, I have a wolf, and she really wants to meet you," Trini starts walking toward some trees, "Follow me, pups."

"Unless you're cowards... maybe we should call you kitties." Cami smirked at them and fell into step by Trini, through the mind-link she asked, 'Should you do this? I mean they are just bullies.'

Trini nodded, thinking, 'I am sick of them, every time we see Rolland it is the same thing. I am going to put him in his place.' She hands Cami her backpack, 'There are collars with tags and leads in here.'

'Why do you have collars with tags?' Cami asked in confusion.

'Your brothers wanted to play frisbee and a mundane park mean collars with tags for all canines.' Trini shrugged as she answered.

Cami shakes her head, 'You and my brothers are such weirdos.' Trini just laughs.

After they got far enough into the trees to not be noticed, Trini slipped out of her Vans, shorts and halter top. Less than twenty heartbeats later, a large white wolf stared coldly at the boys. Rolland's jaw drops, as the three boys with him look shocked.

"Dang," one of the boys muttered, "That was so fast."

"Actually, it wasn't," Camillia declared snidely, "Okay, Rolland, your turn."

The boys shifted nervously as Cami stuffed Trin's clothes in the bag and snapped a collar around her neck. They turned and looked at the Rockclaws in contempt. Trini's wolf is almost up to Cami's shoulder, she lazily draped her arm over her bestie's back. The wolf growled deeply.

"Well, we're still waiting," Cami smiled, her eyes shined evilly.

Rolland glared at them, he couldn't shift nearly that fast, and his wolf wasn't as big as hers, and it pissed him off. "Somebody needs to teach you bitches a lesson," he snarled.

"Well, look at that Trini, he knows what we are... And it's alpha bitches to you," Cami laughed at him, while Trini panted but the chuffing sounded more like she was laughing. "At least we aren't chicken," Camillia finished malevolently. "Bahgawk!"

She pulled her arm of Trini's back and the giant white wolf started to stalk toward the boys, growling. Two of them turned and fled, leaving Rolland and his cousin behind.

"Why don't you run after your cowardly friends and back to your uncle's weak pack, Rolland?" Cami sneered, "There's a reason the Darkwood will always be stronger, we aren't afraid of fligtless birds or toothless dogs."

Before Rolland could respond, a mundane park ranger called out to them, "Hey what are you kids doing?"

"This isn't over leech," Rolland growled, stomping away deeper into the trees, leaving his cousin behind.

"I said what are you kids doing?" the park ranger demanded again.

"I was just letting my dog chase squirrels," Camillia answered sweetly.

"Does it have a license?" he asked, eyeing Trini worriedly.

"Oh yes sir. Come Fluffy, sit."

Trini obeyed but tips her head at her best friend, 'Fluffy? Really?' Cami snickered a little in-mind.

The human held out his hand cautiously and Trini sniffed it, then thumped her tail in a friendly dog manner. She allowed him to look at the tags on the collar, and pet her ears.

"Well, everything seems to be in order. Uh, what kind of breed is this, if you don't mind me asking?" the ranger asks, he couldn't take his eyes off Trin. When he stops petting her ears, she pawed at his foot and whined.

"Oh, she's an Aleutian Malamute and Great Pyrenees. She was just a little fluffy ball when we got her, but she never stopped growing," Camillia prattled on like some clueless teen from the media. "She really is my Fluffy sweetie-kins. She'd never hurt anyone."

Trini almost rolls her eyes.

The ranger reluctantly withdrew his hand, "Well, keep her on a lead in the park proper."

They watched as he walked away and Camillia let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, then she noticed Rolland's cousin was still standing there staring at them.

"What do you want, Rockclaw?" Cami snapped.

The teen shifted nervously for a minute then blurted out, "That was amazing! You knew exactly what to say to that human, and you." He looked at Trini with admiration, "I've never seen a she-wolf shift that fast, I mean half my dad's warriors can't shift that fast and... hey wait!"

Trini and Cami had stared at him for a moment and turned to walk away.

"No, wait, I'm Ralph, and I don't agree with anything Rolland says, or his dad. My dad only took them so my aunt wouldn't be a rogue. Please wait... ooof!" Ralph's breath wooshed out of him when Trini turned suddenly and pinned him to the ground. He stared into her ice-blue eyes, they seemed to glow, then she looked at Cami.

"Trinity says you're okay. I'm Camillia. What's your name again?" Cami asked, trying not to sound annoyed.

"Uh, I'm Ralph. Nice to meet you, Camillia, Trinity huh? Fluffy suits you better," he announced in a teasing tone and felt Trinity's growl rumble through her body before she stood, pulling on the lead back towards the ballfields. He sat up. "Hey, can I buy you another Ice cream, I mean, it's the least I can do. Does Fulffy sweetie-kins want an ice cream too?" His brown eyes shined with amusement. Trini huffed as Cami laughed. Together, they walked back toward the concessions area.

<^><^><^><^>

Rolland stomped through the trees, he hated them. Alpha Blake's daughter and that freak. They had been banished from Darkwood because of her, no... because of it. He lost his friends and had to start all over in his mother's brother's tiny pack. It was the leech's fault. He kicked a rock, and it sailed through the air. There was a slap of flesh as a hand caught it. Coen stepped out from behind a tree, his face a cold mask. Callen stood opposite. He could feel the alpha power radiating from both of them.

"Wh... what do you want?" Rolland hated that his voice trembled.

Coen looked at the rock as if it was interesting then tossed it aside. His voice deep and malevolent, "Rolland, I told you to stay away from Trinity and Camillia . Why did you have to disobey?"

"Your dad's not my alpha anymore, you can't make me do anything," Rolland snapped.

Callen inhaled deeply, "You do know we can smell your fear, right? Answer the question, now!" The alpha command tone vibrated in his chest.

Rolland trembled trying to resist, but couldn't, and to his wolf's shame, he admitted, "Camillia was supposed to like me, so I could be beta. But that... that freak had to come... she..." He didn't finish because Coen' fist broke his jaw and he dropped unconscious.

Callen grabbed Coen' arm before he could strike again and kill the insolent wolf. "Enough, brother," Callen growled, dragging Coen away from Rolland's unconscious form, he could feel his brother's wolf raging. "Control yourself."

"He insulted my mate," Coen growled.

"And she handled it. You saw. She and Cami put Rolland in his place, he's a weak wolf, don't drop to his level," Callen argued.

Coen growled, "Let's go before I let my wolf kill the dog." He stomped back toward the park.

Callen shook his head but followed, he worried about what would happen someday if he or Trini or Cam wasn't there to calm Coen. His brother's temper and over-protectiveness was going to get them in real trouble someday and Callen could only pray someone didn't end up dead.

<^><^><^>

Sunset brought the last inning of the game. Trin watched Coen carefully and nods slightly. Two more strikes meant the last out and they take third place. The first and second place game was over an hour ago, but theirs has stretched to the twelfth inning. She glanced to first, Callen grinned and winked at her, the runner there twitched. On third, Paul nodded. Camillia was screaming from the outfield to end it already.

Trini took a deep breath, as a vampire she could feel Benjamin's heartbeat racing as he waited for the pitch, behind him was Coen's calm, steady one. Her ice-blue eyes caught Coen's emerald-green ones behind his catcher's mask and she blinked slowly once. He shifted, imperceptibly to the right, and before her next breath the ball was gone from her fingertips and Coen' glove snaps shut around it. The umpire called the strike. Benji swore and she winked at him before she caught the ball. She glanced to Paul then to Callen. Coen made a gesture and she smiled. Her eyes hold those of the young Silver River alpha and she made a kissy face. He grinned and glanced at Coen. She couldn't hear over the shouting of their teams and the crowd, but she knew Coen just growled at their old friend. The ball left her hand, one heartbeat passed as Coen' green eyes shined with pride. Two heartbeats later, his glove snapped shut around the ball as Benji swung.

"Strike three, you're out!" The umpire called. The game was won with runners on first and third after four extra innings.

Callen reached Trinity first, spinning her and lifting her on his shoulder as they celebrated. The Silver River team rushed on to the field to celebrate with them, nobody cared that they lost. The children of the pack allies had all grown up together. Benji pulled Trin down and hugged her fiercely before shoving her at Coen. His strong arms wrapped around her and in the middle of celebrating tsunami of wolves, they were alone. She brushed her hand over his forehead, pushing his sweaty hair aside, while he smiled down at her. His green eyes spoke to her. He was going to kiss her, she knew it, but before he did, Camillia ripped her from his arms, screaming in joy over the victory. Trini glanced back at Coen. Her cheeks flushed as he gave her a lopsided grin. Their sixteenth birthday was coming in two months, she promised herself she would kiss him for their birthday. Someone announced they were going for pizza and the cheers got louder.

<^><^><^><^>

Later that night, Coen sat at his desk, sketching. Callen peeked over his shoulder and he growled, but Callen just laughed at him. It was Trini, her eyes intense under the brim of a baseball with the pack logo on it. A strand of hair that escaped her ponytail, blowing across her face.

"Are you ever going to show her those?" Callen teased.

"Don't make me hurt you," Coen answered, "They're just doodles."

"You're doodles could win the annual festival, brother," Callen observed.

Coen shrugged, finishing the shading. "I almost kissed her today," Coen confessed.

"You what?" Callen gasped.

"I said almost. Cami pulled her away." Coen was quiet for a moment, "Callen, I don't want to go to alpha training or the Guardians. What if something happens to her while I'm gone? I... I can't leave her, I can't take that chance."

"Dude, you don't have a choice. We don't have a choice. We're alphas," Callen reminded, sounding frustrated. "Besides Trini can protect herself, she spends a whole day every week with Metheus training and practices almost every day."

A growl rumbled from Coen, "I can't leave her, Callen... Even the thought of it feels like my heart is being cut in two."

Callen shook his head, pointing out, "What about when she leaves? You can't exactly go with her to Vampire Royal Court. She's a freaking princess. She will be the Lady of Bloodstone now that her dad is dead. She could even be the next queen. You have to go to alpha training, Coen or you won't be her equal and the walkers will force her to reject you as her beloved."

"Don't you think I know that!" Coen snapped as he stood to face his brother. "Don't you think that every minute of every day, I am aware of how special she is and how common I am. I am just a wolf from the western woods. and she is the only niece of the Blood Queen." He panted then admitted his greatest fear, "And when she realizes it, she won't love me anymore."

Coen threw himself down on his bed, arm across his forehead, admitting his inner turmoil, "I can't... I can't live without her, brother."

"You will have to, and you need to start now, we leave in four months for four years. You have to make your wolf understand it's only temporary," Callen insisted softly. "I know you can do it, brother."

Coen just nodded, unmoving. Callen flipped off the light but neither slept. An hour later, Coen got up, shifted to his wolf, and left. Callen went to the window and watched his brother making ever large circles around their grandparents' house. Callen shook his head, worrying. His brother's need to protect Trinity was more like a compulsion and Callen worried about their future.